


Reunion

by ToothpasteDragon



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Basically the plot of Finding Nemo, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Mer AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 17:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30042036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToothpasteDragon/pseuds/ToothpasteDragon
Summary: When her new friends sacrifice their freedom for her own, betta mermaid Hat Kid finally escapes the human-infested aquarium where she was previously trapped. But she can’t rescue her friends alone and her family is supposedly on the other side of the ocean. Despite the hopelessness of the situation, help may be closer than she realizes…
Relationships: Cooking Cat & Hat Kid (A Hat in Time), Hat Kid & Moonjumper (A Hat in Time), Hat Kid & Mustache Girl (A Hat in Time), Hat Kid & Snatcher (A Hat in Time)
Kudos: 13
Collections: A Hat in Time AU Ficlets





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> If you were involved in the Hat in Time tumblr fandom back in 2019, you might recognize this piece! It was originally submitted to the blog teenytinyhatkid and is based on the Mer AU created by the blog’s owner, [MonsterMonsoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonsterMonsoon/pseuds/MonsterMonsoon). The blog has since been deemed inactive and no additional content is being produced. But I still like this piece, so I figured I’d post it here at the very least. Enjoy!

Hat Kid looked up at the giant concrete structure, craning her neck farther and farther just to catch a glimpse of the top. 

She was free.

It had all happened so quickly. One moment she was struggling to escape the painful grip of an aquarium employee and the next she was back in the ocean, right where she belonged. Were it not for the kindness of her new friends, she’d still be trapped behind glass walls. They sacrificed their freedom for hers.

_Her friends!_

She had to figure out a way to rescue Conductor and Grooves. They had done so much for her during her time in the strange human-infested prison. But she was so small. What could she do to help them?

Hat Kid whirled around, and a frightening thought occurred to her. _What can I do to help myself?_

She scanned the seemingly-endless kelp forest just beyond the aquarium border. Where was she? Never in her life had she seen such a dense forest, and she didn’t recognize this species of seaweed. To make matters worse, light from the surface cast sinister shadows on the sand and rocks below. Paired with mysterious sounds in the distance, the forest had _DANGER!_ written all over it.

Hat Kid was very lost. And very, very scared.

She wanted to go home. But where was home? As far as she knew, it could be miles and miles away.

She needed help. Maybe a kind stranger would be willing to rescue her friends or point her toward the reef. It wasn’t likely, but she didn’t have many options.

Hat Kid gripped the waterlogged fabric of her signature top hat and steeled herself, choosing a random direction and hoping for the best.

The forest swayed around her continuously, as if it were breathing, but it remained eerily silent. The betta mermaid hugged herself tightly as she swam, propelling herself with the gentle swish of her tail and glancing around nervously. The faintest of noises made her flinch. This was the perfect place for predators and other nightmarish creatures to hide.

After a few minutes, she stopped to look around. The dark water grew cold. “Everything looks the same,” she whimpered. It was reassuring to hear her own voice, but the empty reply that followed sent a shiver down her spine.

A piece of kelp brushed against her tail and she stifled a yelp, darting off in a different direction. When nothing skewered her or swallowed her whole, she let out a shaky breath. She couldn’t do this. It was too much for her. Feeling discouraged, she sank down into the sand and cried. Her chest was heaving, and she anxiously picked at her scales.

 _I want to go home_ , she sniffled. _I want to go home!_

Before Hat Kid could shed another salty tear, something within the vast kelp forest caught her attention. It was a voice. No, multiple voices.

She jumped up immediately. They could help.

Hat Kid dashed toward the source. The forest was disorienting, and for a while it felt like she was swimming in circles, but the voices slowly became more audible as she pushed forward.

Still some ways away, she could pick out bits and pieces of a conversation.

“ –that’s your plan?”

Closer, closer. The conversation was less muffled now.

“Do you have a better idea?”

Finally, she was close enough that she could hear at least two distinct voices, though the seaweed hid their faces from view. Thinking quickly, she burrowed under the coarse sand to conceal herself. Then she listened.

She had yet to determine whether these strangers were friendly.

“As a matter of fact, I do,” the first voice purred. “We need a distraction, right? So here’s what I’m thinking. I waltz into the aquarium and have a little snack, while you guppies look for the betta brat.”

Wait a minute. This had to be some sort of coincidence. Surely they were talking about another betta mermaid, right?

A younger, spunky voice chimed in. “Ooh, I wanna watch! Can I go with MJ instead?”

“Stop it, both of you!” declared a strong female voice. “Eating humans isn’t part of the plan!”

Hat Kid could’ve sworn the last two sounded like Mu and Cookie. Was she hearing things? They couldn’t possibly be here. They were supposed to be on the other side of the ocean.

She resisted the urge to leave her hiding spot and take a peak. The consequences of barging in on their conversation and _not_ finding her family weighed heavy on her shoulders. But she latched onto that fleeting fragment of hope.

Her earfins perked up and she shifted under the sand, revealing her glistening purple tail. A new voice spoke.

Actually, it wasn’t new at all. It was unmistakably familiar.

“Everybody, _focus_. We’re here for the kid, remember? She’s our priority.”

Hat Kid couldn’t believe it.

Shaking off any remaining sand, the girl rushed toward the wall of kelp and hurriedly pushed it aside. She found herself in a small clearing, which was significantly brighter than the rest of the forest. Four figures recoiled in surprise.

They were all here. Mu, and Cookie, and MoonJumper, and…

“…Dad?”

Time seemed to stop as Snatcher met her gaze.

Nobody could find the words to speak. Then realization and relief hit all at once.

“ _Kid!_ ”

Snatcher pumped his tail vigorously to reach the tiny mermaid, enveloping her in a loving embrace before sinking to the sandy floor below. He wrapped his tail around her protectively.

Behind them, Mu and Cookie rejoiced while MoonJumper shrugged, unaffected by the arrival of the lost pup. Cookie punched his arm.

Hat Kid grasped Snatcher’s hair for dear life. Unable to contain her emotions, she began to sob.

Snatcher hugged her closely. She was here. She was _alive_.

“It’s okay,” he assured, “it’s okay. I’ve got you.”

“It’s _not_ okay,” she sniveled. “None of this would’ve happened if I had just listened to you! I’m sorry I went near the drop-off and I’m sorry I said you weren’t my dad and–”

“Hey,” he interrupted, gently rubbing circles in her back. “Calm down, kid. We _both_ made some bad decisions. But it’s in the past now. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

She looked up at him with big, blue eyes. Between sharp breaths, the tiny mermaid asked, “Was it true? What you said about not wanting to be my dad?”

His grip tightened.

“No. And it was…wrong of me to say that. Because it’s far from the truth.” Snatcher gingerly kissed her on the forehead. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Even with tear-dampened cheeks, Hat Kid smiled warmly. And in that instant Snatcher’s heart melted.

Giving her one last squeeze, he whispered, “I missed you, kiddo.”

As soon as Snatcher released his grip, Cookie and Mu surrounded the betta mermaid. Mu circled Hat Kid excitedly while Cookie wrapped her arms around the child, inspecting her for any signs of injury.

Tears continued to stream down her face, but Hat Kid couldn’t hide her joy. “I’m…I’m so happy to see you all.”

“We’re happy to see you too, sweetie,” Cookie soothed.

“But I don’t understand,” the girl said. “How did you get here?”

Snatcher drifted to Cookie’s side. “Once we heard you were trapped in the aquarium, we swam the entire ocean to rescue you.”

“Though it looks like you didn’t need rescuing,” Mu playfully added.

“ _Unfortunately_ ,” drawled MoonJumper, who was facing away from them with his arms crossed.

Shooting daggers at him, Snatcher said, “That reminds me. How _did_ you escape the aquarium? 

Hat Kid’s eyebrows shot up. “The aquarium! I almost forgot!”

Wiggling her way out of Cookie’s hold, she turned to face her confused family. 

“I met two mers in the aquarium, and we became friends. They always looked out for me. But during our last escape attempt, things turned ugly. If they chose freedom, they would’ve been forced to leave me behind.” She broke eye contact. “I’m only here because they’re still trapped inside.”

MoonJumper whirled around and took a few steps closer, suddenly interested in the hatted mermaid. He wore a sly grin. “So what you’re saying is…”

Hat Kid nodded. “I need your help.”

The mantis shrimp mermaid pumped his fist in the air and hollered wildly. Cookie glared at him and pinched Mu’s tail, keeping her from joining in. He was a bad influence.

“Boy, am I glad you bottom-feeders dragged me along!” he sang.

Ignoring him, Snatcher approached Hat Kid and held her shoulders, a worried expression on his face. “You just got out of the aquarium and you want to _go back in?_ ”

“They’re my friends,” she retorted, unblinking. “Besides, they saved me. I want to return the favor.”

She was determined. Snatcher knew he wouldn’t be able to change her mind.

He turned to Cookie, hoping she might talk some sense into the kid, but she only smiled. Accepting defeat, Snatcher let out an exasperated sigh.

“Alright, alright. We’ll help them. Just tell us what to do.”

Hat Kid hugged his neck fiercely, thanking him over and over and making him blush. Pulling away, she motioned for her family to come closer.

“Okay. Here’s the plan.”


End file.
